Since I began working, I have interacted with various types of system software. I have found it very interesting working on different types of BIOS and device firmware, operating systems, utility systems, and operating software. Over time, I have been able to set up several websites using different server operating systems.
As a web developer of the IT Company called The Academics, I have strived to learn, for learning comes more from practical interaction with the various systems in the workplace. By now, I can make a good judgment on the different system software. This is basing on their strengths and weakness. To improve my working skill and technical know-how, I am on the look of the new technologies that spring up from different places. I have also learned to analyze different research problems requiring complex solutions. Out of the analysis that I do with my colleagues, we have succeeded in coming up with solutions that have satisfied our clients. We also embraced the fact that we cannot completely know everything consequently, we always fall back to appropriate repositories. This has worked out a big deal of success in providing a solution to very complex problems.
In producing different operating systems, we have not forgotten the fact that clients need user-friendly systems. These systems will not need system administrator assistance, either during installation or during configuration to suit various basic needs. In producing such systems, we fully consider the people, social structures in the application, project management, modeling language, the processes, and the final products. This is with the aim to bring the systems to the user level. A fine example of this is when I with my co-workers worked for Diagram Data. Using the description we were given by our clients in this company we made it possible to develop a network program that linked the different branches of Diagram Data. We were able to integrate all their wishes with the technical requirements on how the network system would work. The main application we used was windows server 200/2003 to link up all their networks.
While working in Diagram Data, we dint fail to consider security and administration in the modern operating system. It was in two phases. The first was with the aim of coming up with a stable system and the other one was to have a system that helped the administrators to protect their data. In order to come up with a stable system, we made sure that we had handled all the following components carefully. File access control, Reference Monitor, Controlled Execution Environment, Controlled-Object Monitor, Authenticator, Controlled Virtual Address Space, Controlled-Process Creator, Controlled-Object Factory, and the OS Architecture Patterns. We also configured the Management tools to include a systematic way that would allow the administrator of the company to create their own management interfaces using plug-ins for all configurable services.
I have also worked up on my skills in programming, especially on working on operating systems for windows 2000/2003 server. This has been a great improvement on Windows NT 4.0 server. In diagram Data, we wrote a program that would work efficiently on machines that had four processors and 4GB of RAM. This increased the efficiency of the company’s working. This was very necessary because they handle quite a large amount of data. It also helped them to beat deadlines, which had become a problem before setting up the new program in the efficient machines. This period has helped me improve on my NET/SQL and PHP/MySQL programming skills.
My work has helped me to be able to handle the kernel of any operating system carefully. Noting that it is the central part of any operating system, have been very careful to sharpen our skills in handling the kernel. In applying the newest type of windows server (2008) operating system in Diagram Data, we had to be very careful to make accurate configurations on the kernel system to fit high-speed machines they wanted to use as servers.
While working on some specific parts of the system we developed for Diagram Data, we had to look for techniques that gave us a high level of confidence at reasonable prices. Bearing in mind that their requirements required a high-level design, we had to transform them to low-level and component levels. We did this carefully, to get the correct codes for the system. During testing for correctness, we applied processes and state vectors as proposed in Jackson Structured Programming (JSP).
In working for DBR Technology, we had to construct a perfect interrupt handler. The Interrupt Service Routine (ISR) needed to be effective because the web system handles a large amount of data simultaneously. This also called for developing a hardware interface that could coordinate well in the data execution process. This improved my skills in working on hardware interfaces via interrupt handling.
Noting that any system software is developed for the user, I have been careful to ensure that my skills in resource management are sharp. I got lots of work from DBR Technology Company requiring complex resource management. In the maintenance of their website, which we developed, together with my colleagues we worked carefully on the factions in file management, file I/O, encrypting file system, file system redirector, in compressing and decompressing files, and call back functions in file I/O. We effectively created a data bank that is easy for the company to manage its files without much trouble.
While working with DBR Technology, we also did a lot on memory management. This is because we dealt with as much about creating a stable data bank and helping them come up with an efficient file management system. We dwelt much on virtual memory and application memory management. Over time, I had worked on quite a number of cases in memory management. The skills I gained from them helped me to create a perfect databank for DBR Technology. This was quite large and complex and I would not succeed in doing it alone. My colleagues helped me very much to build it up.
I have also kept myself abreast with the dynamic technology. Apart from using windows server 2000/2003, I have also used windows server 2008. We found it interesting to use it in setting a server system for DBR Technology for a network system in the company offices. The new server is more efficient and very reliable. It also provides flexibility in several factions. New Web tools, scalability enhancements, management utilities, and virtualization technologies aid reduce costs, save time, and provide a firm foundation for IT infrastructure.
I have also interacted with the Linux server but on a small-scale basis. It is because most of our clients are still comfortable with windows systems.
Working crowns up the knowledge that we learn in class. Through my work, I have gained experience and have sharpened my skills in system software. During my work, I have been meeting challenges that made me consult my colleagues with other different resources. I have used books to improve on my knowledge and the skills that I use in my work. Some books that I use are Digest of papers, Volume 7 by IEEE Computer Society, The UNIX system V software catalog, Software by Time-Life Books, and Software engineering– ESEC ’95 by Wilhelm Schäfer and Pere Botella among many more. I do this with the utmost aim of providing our clients with the best products.